No Blended Braking Option R2?

[BanditTA]

I’ve had previous EVs where 1 pedal driving was an option and never used it. Now that I’m forced to use it on the Rivian I put my wife’s BMW I4 into 1 pedal every time (also in case I forget to use the brake pedal.

I drove about 60 miles today and hit the brake pedal once in the R1T. I love it now. It took about 2 drives to get used to it. Give it a chance and it may grow on you but understand personal preferences. Best to know your preferences before buying a Rivian.

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[racekarl]

So here is why the ability to turn brake assist off is important... A lot of premature pad wear on the R1 I believe was caused by this being on. When you have it off the physical brakes are not applied unless you press on the brake pedal. Who knows the logic or the times the car decides to use the physical brakes vs the regen. I want to always max regen then limited to no physical brakes. I really hope in a future update they add this feature. On the R1 it was added later.

Just want to clarify that it was brake assist itself that was added at the end of 2023, not the ability to disable it. Prior to that the R1 was regen-only on the right pedal. There could not have been premature brake wear caused by this feature prior to 2024.

 

[mkhuffman]

Just want to clarify that it was brake assist itself that was added at the end of 2023, not the ability to disable it. Prior to that the R1 was regen-only on the right pedal. There could not have been premature brake wear caused by this feature prior to 2024.

The friction brakes are often engaged by the truck when using adaptive cruise. So you could have had premature wear if using adaptive cruise in a lot of heavy traffic. You can't turn off adaptive cruise friction braking.

 

[Dennisis]

I’ve had previous EVs where 1 pedal driving was an option and never used it. Now that I’m forced to use it on the Rivian I put my wife’s BMW I4 into 1 pedal every time (also in case I forget to use the brake pedal.

I drove about 60 miles today and hit the brake pedal once in the R1T. I love it now. It took about 2 drives to get used to it. Give it a chance and it may grow on you but understand personal preferences. Best to know your preferences before buying a Rivian.

That’s what I think is just crazy, people complaining about 1 pedal driving and how they can’t get used to it! Really, if they would just give it a little time and effort they’d soon realize it’s the best! I rarely, very rarely, touch the brakes. It’s good just to keep the rotors clean once in a while but otherwise you’re just wasting the energy you’re generating and unnecessarily wearing down your brakes. Plus it helps smooth out the drive as you’re not rushing constantly and braking at the last minute as we see all too often in traffic. Give it a chance people!

 

[Qamera]

Theoretically you can save up to 2% of range by coasting instead of using regen. (According to one 2025 study, adaptive cruise control can cost another 2-2.5%). Of course, a skilled 1 pedal driver can simulate coasting by manually minimizing the regen when possible, but it’s so much easier to just coast. I do this all the time in my EV, yet never use the brakes because when I need to slow faster than coasting, I simply flip into regen.

 

[Dennisis]

Theoretically you can save up to 2% of range by coasting instead of using regen. (According to one 2025 study, adaptive cruise control can cost another 2-2.5%). Of course, a skilled 1 pedal driver can simulate coasting by manually minimizing the regen when possible, but it’s so much easier to just coast. I do this all the time in my EV, yet never use the brakes because when I need to slow faster than coasting, I simply flip into regen.

True from a total energy standpoint but coasting is much more gradual and not as practical in most situations with traffic. It also requires more attention to then either brake or switch regen on and off - only the most dedicated to maximizing efficiency will choose this method i suspect.

 

[MaskedRacerX]

That’s what I think is just crazy, people complaining about 1 pedal driving and how they can’t get used to it! Really, if they would just give it a little time and effort they’d soon realize it’s the best!

As I've mentioned, only having OPD wouldn't be a deal breaker for an R2 for me, since other things about it are pretty compelling, but having the choice is very nice.

I'll give you another example where it's a nice option for us: the wife typically driving the Jeep (4xe) and so she's very used to the non-OPD behavior and feel. When she pops into the BMW on rare occasion, not having to reset her expectations, how the car feels, how the brakes are used, is a better exerience.

(Thought not the topic, here, that's a similarly nice perk with CarPlay, multiple vehicles, different interfaces for audio, messaging, maps but with ACP, Spotify, Maps, Messaging, are consistent)

 

[Qamera]

only the most dedicated to maximizing efficiency will choose this method i suspect.

I would consider myself interested in efficiency, but anyone who has the muscle memory of downshifting will find the effort trivial, especially since there is no need for a clutch.

 

[Dennisis]

I would consider myself interested in efficiency, but anyone who has the muscle memory of downshifting will find the effort trivial, especially since there is no need for a clutch.

True but downshifting reduced speed much as regen does without the charging benefit. And having learned to drive on a farm truck in the early 70’s, an International Scout 4x4 with manual steering and brakes, I’m familiar. Few nowadays have ever driven a manual, sad to say.

 

[Qamera]

True but downshifting reduced speed much as regen does without the charging benefit.

True, and that's why you only 'downshift' (engage regen) when you actually need to slow down faster than coasting would. Incidentally, I tried out the three regen options on the R2 during my two test drives and initially even the most relaxed version drove me crazy. However, in traffic and without Autonomy engaged, I actually preferred the tightest version. That said, I think passengers would prefer the softer version and, beyond that, simple coasting, which minimizes the 'seasick' feeling that people have complained about.

 

[Eric9610]

Just want to clarify that it was brake assist itself that was added at the end of 2023, not the ability to disable it. Prior to that the R1 was regen-only on the right pedal. There could not have been premature brake wear caused by this feature prior to 2024.

My understanding per Rivian was that break assist was always on from day 1, then in 2023 they added the toggle where you could control it. In the R2 at slow speeds you cant tell when the physical brakes engage. It is very smooth and implemented really well. But would really like the option to control break assist.

 

[racekarl]

My understanding per Rivian was that break assist was always on from day 1, then in 2023 they added the toggle where you could control it. In the R2 at slow speeds you cant tell when the physical brakes engage. It is very smooth and implemented really well. But would really like the option to control break assist.

No, before 2023.50 there was no brake assist. It was added in response to complaints about people losing regen power while driving, e.g. on a long downhill run.

https://riviantrackr.com/2023-50/

 

[Eric9610]

No, before 2023.50 there was no brake assist. It was added in response to complaints about people losing regen power while driving, e.g. on a long downhill run.

https://riviantrackr.com/2023-50/

If I read this correctly it states it was implamented prior and this improved it also allowing the ability to turn off:

"The new Regenerative Brake Assist feature improved deceleration performance in cold climates, on long downhills, and in vehicle high states of charge The new Regenerative Brake Assist feature improved deceleration performance in cold climates, on long downhills, and in vehicle high states of charge by blending more consistently and seamlessly with standard braking. ."

 

[racekarl]

If I read this correctly it states it was implamented prior and this improved it also allowing the ability to turn off:

"The new Regenerative Brake Assist feature improved deceleration performance in cold climates, on long downhills, and in vehicle high states of charge The new Regenerative Brake Assist feature improved deceleration performance in cold climates, on long downhills, and in vehicle high states of charge by blending more consistently and seamlessly with standard braking. ."

The wording of the release notes is ambiguous, agreed. However, the posts here leading up to this release and the threads documenting it generally agreed that blending in brakes at all was a new feature. It was understood at the the time that the Bosch system in Gen 1 vehicles was capable of it, but it had not been implemented at launch.

 

[emroch]

Just to summarize the discussion so far, it seems there are two parts to this debate:

1. Whether friction brakes are applied to augment regen when regen is weaker than normal (ie battery full)
2. How the brake pedal actually causes deceleration, either with regen or friction

I think #1 is what we're calling Brake Assist and #2 is what we're calling Blended Braking. I.e. letting off the accelerator is intended to feel the same for a given regen setting no matter the state of the battery (you shouldn't feel the addition of friction brakes), and pressing the brake pedal should start with adding regen if possible and add friction only if it needs more stopping power.

Sounds like the objections in this thread are over Break Assist being active all the time, not over Blended Braking being used when pressing the brake pedal. I understand the desire to reduce wear on the friction brakes, but (a) they are a consumable item like on all cars, (b) the presence of regen will already make them last way longer than an ICEV, and (c) I'd much rather have consistent 1PD performance than go back to what the R1 did before brake assist. If the argument is that Rivian's algorithm might erroneously apply friction brakes when it doesn't need to, then the request should be to improve the algorithm, not bypass it entirely.

I'd also wager that if you disable brake assist and end up having to step on the brake pedal because regen is not as strong as you suggested, you are probably going to end up braking harder and later than the car would have, which may end up putting more wear on the brakes than just letting the car handle it.

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